Combination fireplace and fluid fuel heater device



M. W. PONTO Dec. 1, 1964 COMBINATION FIREPLACE AND FLUID FUEL HEATER DEVICE Filed June 11, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. MEPLVA) l4! Fun/r0 WW 1? PM Dec. 1, 1964 M. W. PONTO COMBINATION FIREPLACE AND FLUID FUEL HEATER DEVICE Filed June 11, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MEPLW INVENTOR. l4! Pomm WWW United States Patent 3,159,157 COMBlNATlON FIREPLACE AND FLUID FUEL I-EATER DEVIQE Marlyn W. Ponto, 3650 Newton Ave. N., Minneapolis 12, Minn. Filed June 11, 1963, Ser. No. 287,082 5 Claims. (Cl. lZ6--121) This invention relates to heating devices and more particularly to a prefabricated type combination fireplace and fluid fuel heater device which is readily installable as a unit into a building structure such as a house.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel prefabricated type combination fireplace and fluid fuel heater device, of simple and inexpensive construction and operation, which is readily installable as a unit in a building such as a home or the like, and which is prow'ded with a fireplace chamber and a fluid fuel heater chamber sealed from each other, with warm air delivery passages disposed in closely juxtaposed relation to the chambers to be heated thereby so that fan impelled warm air may be effectively delivered into the building.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved prefabricated type combination fireplace and heater device of the class described with provision of many safety features including separate flue passages for the respective products of combustion for each of the respective combustion chambers, and having bafile means in the flue passage for the heater chamber to prevent blowback and subsequent extinguishing of the heater flame dur. ing operation thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved prefabricated type combination fireplace and heater device wherein the flue passage for the heater chamber is provided with a flue gas flow control chmber having a cold air intake interconnected therewith for retarding the flow of flue gases from said heater chamber andtherebypermitting greater and more elficient combustion of the fuel in said heater chamber.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like character references refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of my invention with FiG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken approximately along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken approximately along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and V FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of my invention illustrated in installed relation in a conventional building structure such as a house.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIG. 1 it will be'seen that one embodiment of my novel prefabricated type combination fireplace and fluid fuel heater device, designated by the reference numeral 10, is there shown. This device includes a generally rectangular shaped housing 11 constructed of a suitable 'wall 14-, rear wall 15 and side walls 16, It will be seen that the respective side, bottom and front walls are oil-set forwardly adjacent the bottom portion of the housing 11 r to define a forwardly off-set housing portion 17.

The front wall 14 of the housing 11 is centrally recessed combustion chamber.

above the off-set housing portion 17 to define a fireplace or open hearth combustion chamber 18. A horizontally disposed transversely extending hearth plate 19 defines the lower or bottom wall of the open hearth combustion chamber l8 as best seen in FIG. 2. This hearth plate 19 has a plurality of fuel supporting fins or support elements 2.0 rigidly afiixed thereto and disposed in side-byside relation. These support fins extend in a fore-and-aft direction and serve to support solid fuel such as logs or the like thereon and are constructed of a very high heat resistant metal such as heat resistant steel. It will be noted that the hearth plate 19 is coextensive with the top 17a of the off-set housing portion 17 as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

A vertically extending flue structure 211 is rigidly aflixed to the housing 11 and projects upwardly therefrom. This flue structure 21 includes a stack portion 22 of substantially cylindrical configuration having the conventional shield member or spark arrestor. 23 afilxed to the upper end thereof and also includes an enlarged lower portion 24, the rear wall portion of which is coextensive with the rear wall 15 of the housing. It will be noted that the front wall Ma'of the enlarged lower portion 24 projects downwardly beyond the top wall 12 of the housing in spaced relation with respect to the front wall and is joined to the front wall by a flange 241) as best seen in FIG. 2.

It will be seen that the recessed part of the front wall "14 which defines the open hearth combustion chamber 18 fined between these wall portions intercommunicating the open hearth combustion chamber 18 with the flue structure 21. Thus the flue gases resulting from combustion of wood or the like in the open hearth combustion chamber may escape through the flue structure 21 to the exterior. A suitable damper member 25 is hingedly connected as at 26 to the upwardly extending central portion of the front wall 14 to permit swinging movement of the damper member about a horizontal transverse axis between open and closed relation with respect to the opening interconnecting the fine structure and open hearth Thus the draft intakeinto the open hearth combustion chamber may be selectively controlled.

It will be seen that the rearwardly converging portions 14a andthe central portion 14b of the front wall 14 extend downwardly beyond the hearth plate 19 and are joined to a transversely extending horizontally disposed plate 27 which, as seen in FIG. 2, is spaced above and substantially parallel to the bottom wall 13 of the housing 11. Thus the bottom plate 27 cooperates with the lower parts of the recessed front wall to define a fluid fuel heater combustion chamber 28 which issealed from the open hearth combustion chamber 18. The front end of the heater combustion chamber 28 is closed by a vertically extending front plate 29 as best seen in FIG. 3.

Referring again to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the lower off-set housing portion 17 has a pair of laterally spacedapart substantially parallel partitions 30 which are disposed in substantially parallel relation with respect to the side walls 16 and which extend rearwardly from the front wallof this lower off-set housing portion and are joined with the converging wall portions of the heater combustion chamber 28, so that an access chamber 31 is defined. Referring now to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the front wall of the access chamber 31 actually consti- 3 v tutes a removable panel 32 which is releasably secured in place by any suitable securing means such as screws or the like and which is provided with a centrally located observation window 33. In the embodiment illustrated the heater used is one known in the trade as a McKee heater and this heater includes a head 34 which is connected to an intake pipe 35. The head 34- is comprised of a plurality of annular collars 36 between which are It. will be seen that the intake pipe 35 projects through the disposed the upwardly opening discharge ports 37.

or ducts 38 are defined by the volumetric space surrounding the open hearth combustion chamber 1-3 and the heater combustion chamber 28. It will be seen that these warm air delivery passages are located in vertically extending relation on opposite sides of the respective combustion chambers and these passages intercommunicate with each other in the volumetric space located rear- Wardly of the combustion chambers. The lower plate 27 extends between and is rigidly connected to the side walls 16 as Well as the rear wall 15 and therefor constitutes the bottom Wall of the passages 38. It will there fore be seen that since the air passages 38 surround the major portion of the respective combustion chambers, a

heat exchange action will take place over a relatively large area.

Referring now to FIG. 2 it will be seen that the warm air delivery passages 38 are interconnected in communieating relation with each other in the volumetric space 3&1 located at the upper front side of the housing 11 between the front Wall 24a of the flue structure and the front wall 14. It will be seen that the upperportion of the front wall 14 is provided with a relatively large, generally rectangular shaped opening 39 therein which actually defines the warm air outlet for the warm air delivery passages 38. A louvered register this disposed in traversing relation with respect to the warm air outlet 39 and this louvered register is of the adjustable type wherein the louvers may be adjusted with respect to each 7 air through the Warm air delivery passages 38 and to this end it will be seen that a' pair of fan mechanisms 43 are provided, each being positioned in one of the warm air. delivery passages 38 adjacent the Warm air'inlets '41.

. These electric motors for the fan mechanisms 43 are connected by suitable electrical conductors to a source of electrical current and when energized will produce a negative pressure or suction effect at the warm air inlets whereby air will be pulled into the warm air delivery passages and impelled through the warm air outlet 39. Because of the heat exchange action taking place between the air passing through the warm air delivery passages 38 and the combustion chamber, the air will be very effectively heated prior to discharge through the Warm air outlet. A thermostatic control unit 43a positioned withinone of the warm air delivery passages 38 controls operation of the fan mechanisms 43 and it is pointed out that this thermostatic control 43a is preferably set to energize the fan motors at'approximately 140 F. V

Cold air issupplied to the combustion chamber 28 through a pair of cold air passages 44, each having an intakeaperture 45 formed in the exterior wall 15 of the housing 11 and each of these passages preferably being located adjacent the respective rear corners of the housing 11. The entire volumetric space located below the bottom plate 27 communicates with the intake passages 4-4 to receive the cold intake air therefrom and this passage 46 communicates with a discharge slot formed at the juncture of the bottom plate 27 and the front plate 29. l-t'will therefore be seen that air from the exterior will be readily supplied to the heater combustion chamber 28 for the purpose of supporting combustion of the fluid fuel.

Means are also provided for removing the products of combustion from the heater combustion chamber 23 and for conveying these products of combustion or flue gases to the exterior. Thisrneans includes a pair of discharge duots or conduits 48 positioned in vertically extending relation within the warm air delivery passages 38 in sealed relation therefrom. The respective lower end portions of each of the discharge conduits 48 are horizontally oriented as at 49 and these lower horizontal portions are connected in fluid conducting relation with the heater combustion chamber 28.

The upper portions 50 of the discharge conduits 48 are also horizontally disposed and are connected in com municating relation with respect to each other, this common horizontally extending transverse passage communicating Witha flue gas flow control chamber structure 51 located within the housing 11 adjacent the upper central portion'thereof as best seen in FIGS 1 and 2. A cylindrically shaped vertically disposed stack 52 positioned within the flue structure 21 has its lower end connected in communicating relation with the flow control chamber structure 51 and has its upper end projecting slightly beyond the upper'terminal edge of the fine structure 21.

Thus the flue gases or products of combustion from the heater chamber 28 may be readily discharged'from the heater chamber but it will be seen that these flue gases while conveyed through the flue structure 21 are completely sealed therefrom. Thus any tendency of the flue gases to escape'through the open hearth combustion chamber 18 are completely precluded.

Referring again to FIG. 2 it will be noted that the flue gas flow control chamber structure 51, is connected through an opening or port 53 with the exterior so that air is induced into the flow control chamber during operation of the fluid fuel heater within the combustion chamber 28. The free flow of air through the opening 53 into the flue gas flow control chamber 51 interrupts the stream of exhaust flue gases flowing through the flow control chamber and actually retards the stream of exhaust gases flowing through this'flow control chamber.

With this particular arrangement, there is no pull or negative pressure produced with respect tothe intake combustion air for the fluid fuel heater through the intakeport 45. 1

Thus the air will flow freely through the intake port 45 but without a suction effectthereat so that the combustion air will be freely supplied to the combustion chamber 28. Therefore more complete and efficient combustion takes place within the combustion chamber 28 so that very little, if any, of the fluid fuel is left unburned. A substantially horizontally disposed transversely extending baflle plate 54 is positioned within the flow control chamber 51 and is spaced below and in traversing relation with respect to the lower end of the stack 52. The

baflie 54 serves to-prevent blow-back or gusts'of air from traveling downwardly through the stack 52, through the discharge conduits 43 and into the heater combustion chamber 28.

Means are also provided'for controlling operation of the fluidfuel heater and to this 'end'a flow control valve mechanism 55' is interposed in flow controlling relation in'the fluid fuel supplyline 5%, the latter being connected to a suitable source of liquid fuel such as gas for supplying'fuel to the heater. This control mechanism 55 is comprised of a valve disposed in flow controlling relation with respect to the fuel line 56 and this valve is operated by four separate units to control operation of the heater under various conditions. The flow control valve mechanism includes a thermostat, a thermocouple, a unit for controlling operation of the pilot light and another unit for preventing operation of the valve to the open position in the event that the pilot light or flame has been extinguished. This product or control mechanism 55 is sold under the trademark Aditrol and is manufactured by the Minneapolis Honeywell Regulator Company. Thus the thermostat unit of the control mechanism will serve to operate the valve and supply gas to the heater head in response to a temperature change.

It is again pointed out that the prefabricated combination fireplace and heater device may be installedas a unit in cottages, summer homes and the like and may also be installed in homes where it is not desirable to have a central heating plant. When installed, the housing 11 will project through an opening in a room of the home so that the flue structure is positioned exteriorly of the building as shown in FIG. 4 and so that the open hearth combustion chamber 18 opens or faces interiorly of the building. If it is desirable to use the open hearth combustion chamber for heating purposes, solid fuels such as logs or the like may be burned therein and the air Within the Warm air delivery passages 33 will be heated until the thermostat control mechanism 43a energizes the fan mechanism and causes the heated air within the Warm air delivery passages to be discharged through the warm air outlet and into the room. If, however, it is desirable to use fluid fuel to permit rapid heating, it is merely necessary to adjust the control mechanism 55 to operate automatically and fluid fuels such as gas will be supplied to the heater head when a predetermined temperature is reached. By the unique arrangement of the heater combustion chamber and the open hearth combustion chamber, it is possible to use a common Warm air delivery passage means. The double stack arrangement permits the discharge or exhausting of the combustion products selectively from each combustion chamber while maintaining the respective flue gas passages in separate sealed relation with respect to each other and to the other combustion chamber. The provision of aflow control chamber structure serves to retard the suction effect of the combustion products exerted on the intake air so that a very high degree of combustion will take place in the heater combustion chamber 28.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a novel combination fireplace and heater device prefabricated into a highly functional attractive unit which is capable of being readily installed with a minimum of effort into a building structure.

It will also be seen from the preceding paragraphs that my novel combination fireplace and heater device not only permits selective use of solid or fluid fuel but is also provided with safety features such as the double stack constructure and a flow-control chamber for the portions of the various parts without departing from the V scope of my invention. 7

What is claimed is: e

1. A prefabricated combination fireplace and heater device readily installable as a unit into a building structure such as a house, said device comprising a housing of generally rectangular configuration including front, rear top, bottom and side wall porbe understood that various changes tions, said device when installed in a building having the front wall portion thereof positioned interiorly of the building and having the rear wall portion thereof disposed exteriorly of the building,

said front wall portion having a centrally located recess therein and defining with said rear, bottom, top and side Wall portions a forwardly opening open hearth combustion chamber in which solid fuel, such as wood and the like, may be burned,

means defining a fluid fuel heater combustion chamber positioned below and sealed from said open hearth combustion chamber,

a fluid fuel heater mechanism positioned within said heater combustion chamber and being connected to a source of fluid fuel under pressure,

combustion air passage means connected in communicating relation with said heater combustion chamber for supplying combustion air thereto,

means defining warm air delivery passages positioned in juxtaposed relation to but sealed from said combustion chambers whereby air in said warm air delivery passages may be selectively heated by the combustion fuel in said chambers,

a pair of flue gas exhaust conduits, one disposed interiorly of and sealed from the other and each being connected in communicating relation with one of said combustion chambers to permit the exhausting of flue gases therefrom.

and a hollow flow-control structure defining a chamber therewithin and being interposed immediate the ends of and in communicating relation with the exhaust conduit for the heater combustion chamber, said structure having an air inlet interconnecting the chamber defined by said structure with the exterior to permit air toflow into said chamber-defining structure and to thereby retard the flow of flue gases from said heater chamber whereby to permit greater degree of combustion of the fluid fuel in said heater combustion chamber.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 and a baffie plate positioned with said flow-control structure in traversing relation with respect to said chamber defined thereby and serving to prevent the flow of air into the heater combustion chamber through the discharge end of the heater combustion chamber exhaust conduit.

3. A prefabricated combination fireplace and heater device readily installable as a unit into a building structure such as a house, said device comprising a substantially closed housing including front, rear, top,

bottom and side wall portions,

said front wall portion having a centrally located recess therein and defining with said rear, bottom, top and side wall portions a forwardly opening open hearth combustion chamber in which solid fuel such as wood and the like may be burned,

means defining a fluid fuel heater combustion chamber positioned below and sealed from said open hearth v combustion chamber,

a fluid fuel heater mechanism positioned within said heater combustion chamber and being connected to a source of fluid fuel under pressure, combustion air passage means interconnecting said heater combustion chamber in communicating relation with the exterior for supplying combustion air thereto,

means defining generally vertically arranged warm air delivery passages positioned in juxtaposed relation to but sealed from said combustion chambers whereby air in said warm air delivery passages may be selectively heated by, the combustion of fuel in said chambers,

a pair of generally vertically disposed flue gas exhaust conduits each being connected in communicating relation with one of said combustion chambers to perr r mit the exhausting ofcombustion gases therefrom, and a hollow flow-control structure defining a chamber therewithin and being interposed intermediate the ends of and in communicating relation with the exhaust conduit for the heater combustion chamber, said structure having an air inlet interconnecting the chamber defined by said structure with the exterior to permit air to flow into said chamber-definmg structure and to therebyrretard the flow of flue gases from' said heater combustion chamber whereby to permit a greater degree of combustion of the fluid fuel in said heater combustion chamber.

4. A prefabricated combination fireplace and heater device readily installable as a unit into a building structur such as a house, said device comprising a substantially closed housing including front, rear,

top, bottom and side wall portions,

said front'wall portion having a centrally locatedrecess therein and defining with said rear, bottom, top and side Wall portions a forwardly opening open hearth combustion chamber in which solid fuel such as wood and the like may be burned,

means defining a fluid fuel heater combustion chamber positioned below and sealed from said open hearth combustion chamber,

a fluid f'uel'heater mechanism positioned within said heatercombustion chamber and being connected to a source of fluid fuel under pressure, a

combustion air passage means interconnecting said heater combustion chamber in communicating relation with the exterior for supplying combustion air thereto, p

means defining generally vertically arranged warm air delivery passages positioned in juxtaposed relation to but sealed from said combustion chamber whereby air is said warm air delivery passages may be &

selectively heated by the combustion fuel in said chambers, V

a pair of flue gas exhaust conduits, one disposed interiorly of and sealed from the .other, said exterior conduit being connected in communicating relation with said open hearth combustion chamber to permit the exhausting of flue gases therefrom, said interior conduit extending downwardly through at least one of said warm air delivery passages and connected in communicating relation with said heater combustion chamber to permit the exhausting of combustion products therefrom, v

a hollow flow-control structure defining a chamber therewithin and being interposed intermediate the ends of and in communicating relation with the exhaust conduit for the heater combustion chamber, said structure having an air inlet interconnecting the chamber defined by said structure with the exterior to permit air to flow into said chamber-defining structure and to thereby retard the flow of flue gases from said heater combustion chamber whereby to permit a greater degree of combustion of the fluid fuel in said heater combustion chamber.

5. The device as defined inclaim 4 and a bafiie plate positioned Within said flow-control structure in traversing relation with respect torsaid chamber defined thereby and serving to prevent the flow of air into the heater combustion chamber through the discharge end of the heater combustion chamber exhaust conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UIIITED STATES PATENTS 446,413 Baker Feb. 17, 1891 2,471,351 Russell May 24, 1949 3,118,438 Sykes Jan. 21, 1964 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Mer lyn W. Ponto that error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified ent req'iiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant nly) v line l2 for "Merlyn W, Pontoi her heirs" read Merlyn W. Ponto his heirs column 6 line 4L1 for "with" read within Signed and sealed this 4th day of May 1965 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents ERNEST W. SWIDER I 1 Qf ficer 

1. A PREFABRICATED COMBINATION FIREPLACE AND HEATER DEVICE READILY INSTALLABLE AS A UNIT INTO A BUILDING STRUCTURE SUCH AS A HOUSE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING OF GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION INCLUDING FRONT, REAR TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDE WALL PORTIONS, SAID DEVICE WHEN INSTALLED IN A BUILDING HAVING THE FRONT WALL PORTION THEREOF POSITIONED INTERIORLY OF THE BUILDING AND HAVING THE REAR WALL PORTION THEREOF DISPOSED EXTERIORLY OF THE BUILDING, SAID FRONT WALL PORTION HAVING A CENTRALLY LOCATED RECESS THEREIN AND DEFINING WITH SAID REAR, BOTTOM, TOP AND SIDE WALL PORTIONS A FORWARDLY OPENING OPEN HEARTH COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN WHICH SOLID FUEL, SUCH AS WOOD AND THE LIKE, MAY BE BURNED, MEANS DEFINING A FLUID FUEL HEATER COMBUSTION CHAMBER POSITIONED BELOW AND SEALED FROM SAID OPEN HEARTH COMBUSTION CHAMBER, A FLUID FUEL HEATER MECHANISM POSITIONED WITHIN SAID HEATER COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND BEING CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF FLUID FUEL UNDER PRESSURE, COMBUSTION AIR PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTED IN COMMUNICATING RELATION WITH SAID HEATER COMBUSTION CHAMBER FOR SUPPLYING COMBUSTION AIR THERETO, MEANS DEFINING WARM AIR DELIVERY PASSAGES POSITIONED IN JUXTAPOSED RELATION TO BUT SEALED FROM SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBERS WHEREBY AIR IN SAID WARM AIR DELIVERY PASSAGES MAY BE SELECTIVELY HEATED BY THE COMBUSTION FUEL IN SAID CHAMBERS, A PAIR OF FLUE GAS EXHAUST CONDUITS, ONE DISPOSED INTERIORLY OF AND SEALED FROM THE OTHER AND EACH BEING CONNECTED IN COMMUNICATING RELATION WITH ONE OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBERS TO PERMIT THE EXHAUSTING OF FLUE GASES THEREFROM. AND A HOLLOW FLOW-CONTROL STRUCTURE DEFINING A CHAMBER THEREWITHIN AND BEING INTERPOSED IMMEDIATE THE ENDS OF AND IN COMMUNICATING RELATION WITH THE EXHAUST CONDUIT FOR THE HEATER COMBUSTION CHAMBER, SAID STRUCTURE HAVING AN AIR INLET INTERCONNECTING THE CHAMBER DEFINED BY SAID STRUCTURE WITH THE EXTERIOR TO PERMIT AIR TO FLOW INTO SAID CHAMBER-DEFINING STRUCTURE AND TO THEREBY RETARD THE FLOW OF FLUE GASES FROM SAID HEATER CHAMBER WHEREBY TO PERMIT GREATER DEGREE OF COMBUSTION OF THE FLUID FUEL IN SAID HEATER COMBUSTION CHAMBER. 